Problem with new M1A

[nupe]

Ok so I should have known that this would have happened, me being the youngen that I am starts bragging about my new Springfield M1A National Match and then something happens that I don't understand  .  I went out on Sunday to shoot my new gun that I actually bought used, it had about 30 rounds fired through it, and I ran 15 rounds through it and twice I had a failure to feed problem.  Both times the cartridges that failed to feed were on the right side of the mag, they remained completely in the mag, and they had scratch marks on top of the cases.  Due to this I am assuming that it is a problem with either the gas system or the ammo.  The ammo that I was using was Lithuanian surplus, 146 grain, NATO spec, and according to ammoman.com, near match grade, and some friends of mine and I have used plenty of this ammo before with out any problems.  So any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. also the like to the thread where pics can be found is here http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=4278.10 .

[m25operator]

Nupe, you could be right, but have you tried other magazines yet? Only on the right side of the magazine seems to be a clue. Of course try some other ammo, but I would try another mag 1st. Insufficient gas pressure could cause the bolt to not go back far enough to strip the next round and that could be ammo or gas system, but that would not be my 1st thought. Start with the easy button.

Keep us informed.

[nupe]

well the word from the springfield expert at the LGS said that he figures that it is a problem with the mag, and he gave me a new one to try.  So I'm hoping that is it and will hopefully find out soon.

[Bidah]

That really does sound like a magazine issue.  Try a single round and see if it will lock the bolt back.  I would expect it to since it is feeding from the left ok.  One lip might be pushed down a little keeping the round down in the magazine.  This could also be the mag catch on the rifle, or the location of the catch on the magazine.  Does the magazine lock up tight?

-Bidah

[nupe]

I finally got to go out today to shoot my M1A and I have some good news and bad news.  With the new mag the action functioned flawlessly, but one of the two new C.M.I. mags that I bought this weekend would not feed a round on the righthand side and about halfway through the mag.  It did it twice.  I had no problem the other C.M.I. mag that I got or the replacement Springfield mag.

[Sponsor]

[BrianM1a]

My Supermatch had the same issue. For some reason she just don't like some magazines. USGI is the way to go.

[GASPASSERDELUXE]

  A possible solution for your mags is to glue about 2 thicknesses of cardboard (shoebox or cereal box thickness)
just below the stud on the back of the mag. It is probably a little loose and the back part is slipping down far
enough that the bolt rides over the back of the mag. I had that trouble with mine and it worked like a charm.
Also some thin rubber like from a bike tire inner tube will work also. 

[Malvolio2]

You might also try using a smooth round rod to get under the problem feed lips and tweak them. The problem you described sounds like it's related to the lips being bent too far downward, so prying them up with something round (so as not to mar or dent them) just slightly might solve your problem.

[nupe]

Thanks for the input guys I haven't had a chance to try anything out yet, but i think that i will start with slightly bending the feed lip.  A friend of mine owns a standard M1A and he had absolutely no problem with the mag, so i'm sure that there is just one slight difference in this mag that the tighter tolerances of the national match do not like.

[BrianM1a]

  A possible solution for your mags is to glue about 2 thicknesses of cardboard (shoebox or cereal box thickness)
just below the stud on the back of the mag. It is probably a little loose and the back part is slipping down far
enough that the bolt rides over the back of the mag. I had that trouble with mine and it worked like a charm.
Also some thin rubber like from a bike tire inner tube will work also. 

I like that suggestion..... I have a bunch of magazines that just did not feed too well. That just might be the ticket!